Mr. Matheson
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural
Resources

A BILL

To provide for the sale of approximately 25 acres of
public land to the Turnabout Ranch, Escalante, Utah, at fair market
value.

1.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Federal
land

The term Federal land means the approximately
25 acres of Bureau of Land Management land identified on the map as
Lands to be conveyed to Turnabout Ranch.

(2)

Map

The
term map means the map entitled Turnabout Ranch
Conveyance dated May 12, 2006, and on file in the office of the
Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

(3)

Secretary

The
term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(4)

Monument

The
term Monument means the Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Monument located in southern Utah.

(5)

Turnabout
Ranch

The term Turnabout Ranch means the Turnabout
Ranch in Escalante, Utah, owned by Aspen Education Group.

2.

Conveyance of
Federal land to Turnabout Ranch

(a)

In
general

Notwithstanding the land use planning requirements of
sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C.
1713), if not later than 30 days after completion of the appraisal required
under subsection (b), Turnabout Ranch of Escalante, Utah submits to the
Secretary an offer to acquire the Federal land for the appraised value, the
Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after the date of the offer, convey to
Turnabout Ranch all right, title, and interest to the Federal land, subject to
valid existing rights.

(b)

Appraisal

Not
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
complete an appraisal of the Federal land. The appraisal shall be completed in
accordance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land
Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice. All costs associated with the appraisal shall be born by
Turnabout Ranch.

(c)

Payment of
consideration

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the
Federal land is conveyed under subsection (a), as a condition of the
conveyance, Turnabout Ranch shall pay to the Secretary an amount equal to the
appraised value of the Federal land, as determined under subsection (b).

(d)

Costs of
conveyance

As a condition of the conveyance, any costs of the
conveyance under subsection (a) shall be paid by Turnabout Ranch.

(e)

Disposition of
proceeds

The Secretary shall deposit the proceeds from the
conveyance of the Federal land under subsection (a) in the Federal Land Deposit
Account established by section 206 of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation
Act, Public Law 106–248, to be expended in accordance with that Act.

3.

Modification of
monument boundary

When the
conveyance authorized by section 2 is completed, the boundaries of the Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the State of Utah are hereby modified
to exclude the Federal land conveyed to Turnabout Ranch.